Felton Highway 9 Sidewalk Project: Lane Barrier Near Graham Hill May Remain Until February

FELTON, Santa Cruz County — October 26, 2026. Road construction on Highway 9 near San Lorenzo Valley’s school complex is scheduled to continue day and night this week. Caltrans is building a sidewalk and safer bicycle shoulder on the southbound side of the highway, connecting the Graham Hill Road area with the schools north of downtown Felton.

The agency said the temporary concrete barrier occupying a southbound lane near the Graham Hill Road/Felton Empire Road intersection is expected to remain in place through February 2027. Work scheduled October 26–30 includes removing sections of an old wall, forming sidewalks and concrete work at several highway post-mile locations. The project’s overall completion is estimated for August 2027, subject to weather and construction changes.

Why this is important to local families

Today, students and other pedestrians have had to navigate narrow shoulders on a busy connector between Felton and the San Lorenzo Valley schools. The planned improvements include sidewalks varying from four to six feet where space allows, a widened shoulder for cyclists and a new bus pad by the high school. These are future project benefits, not facilities that are already open.

Allow extra time when traveling in the school corridor. Sources: Caltrans District 5 weekly update, October 23 and official project description. More coverage at Felton News.

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